


Threads

by Hellyjellybean



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Bazine is still being a bitch!, Ben Solo is a grumpy boss, Ben Solo is the boss, Confessions, Cute, Elevator groping, Engagement, F/M, Fluff, Fluffy, Happy Ending, Kissing, Love, Lunch date, Misunderstandings, Rey gives him a gift - Freeform, Rey is his employee, Rey likes to knit, Reylo - Freeform, Romance, Rose and Finn also work there, Rose and Finn are Reys roommates, Sweet, Will Ben like his gift?, Will Ben want to thank Rey?, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:14:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26269330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellyjellybean/pseuds/Hellyjellybean
Summary: This is based on a prompt from the lovely someonesbeenhere:Ben Solo is a cantankerous boss known for throwing away any gift his underlings give him. When newbie Rey decides to knit everyone a scarf for the start of fall, she's warned that Solo will not appreciate it. Everyone is surprised when he shows up the next day wearing it.Autumn Reylo Fluff. Enjoy!
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 128
Kudos: 446
Collections: te wiesz





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [someonesbeenhere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/someonesbeenhere/gifts).



“I’m telling you, Rey, he won’t wear it.” 

Finn was adamant that the homemade scarf Rey had bestowed upon their grumpy superior would never be removed from the box she wrapped it in. 

“How do you know? He might!” Rey replied. 

Rose cocked her head to the side and looked sympathetic. “I know you're new sweetie, but you can’t be this naive. He’s an asshole.” 

“I refuse to believe that,” Rey retorted. 

“It’s the truth,” Finn stressed as he finished his coffee and threw the cup into the recycling bin. “I once gave him a bottle of wine from my dad's private collection and I found the janitor drinking it that very same afternoon.” 

Rey frowned. “Maybe it was just some sort of mix up?” 

Rose cocked an eyebrow at Rey. “I once gifted him with a set of sterling silver cufflinks. Cost me an arm and a leg but I thought he would appreciate the expense.” 

Rey winced. “I’m guessing he didn’t?” 

Finn pulled up his suit jacket and flashed the cufflinks at Rey. “He threw them on my desk later that day along with a pile of files he wanted me to go through.” 

“Maybe he will appreciate the fact that my gift was homemade!” Rey cried desperately. 

Rose and Finn looked at her as if her puppy had just died. 

“Okay, maybe it was a colossal waste of time,” Rey mumbled as she started going through piles of paper on her desk. 

Finn put an arm on her shoulder and she turned to look at him. “If it helps at all, I love mine.”

“I love mine too!” Rose piped up. 

Rey smiled at them. “Thanks guys.” 

They all sat down at their desks, conscious that the very topic of their conversation Mr Ben Solo, CEO of First Order Corp, would be heading past in less than a few minutes and would not be happy to see anyone who was not huddled over their work. 

Rey had only worked for the company for six months having been lucky enough to get a tip off about the position from her two dear flatmates Rose and Finn. Of course she knew all about their beast of a boss before she began working for the company but Rey liked a challenge. She refused to believe that there wasn’t a likeable guy under all those layers of hostility and that had nothing to do with the fact that he was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. _Nope._ That wasn’t the reason she was so keen to prove he had a good side. _Okay._ Maybe that was a small part of it. 

She should have really known that he didn’t want the gift. When she had shyly knocked on his door and let herself into his office following his gruff order for her to “enter!” He showed no interest in the box tied with a pretty red bow while she stumbled over her words explaining how she was learning to knit and wanted to show her appreciation to the team for making her feel so welcome. He barely looked up from his computer, and just nodded a few times as she placed the box down in front of him and made a sharp exit. 

Rey groaned as she typed. What had she been thinking? Of course she was going to find that the janitor was sporting a new scarf that very afternoon. She just knew it. Then they heard the tell tale heavy footsteps coming along the corridor. 

“Gird your loins!” Finn hissed as everyone hurried to reach their desks and look busy before Mr Solo passed through. A hush fell over the office as he approached. Rey didn’t look up. She kept her eyes on her screen. So she didn’t see Finn and Rose gawp at Mr Solo and then at each other, she didn’t see her boss take a detour from his usual route, she didn’t notice anything until he was standing right next to her desk. He cleared his throat and Rey jumped. She turned and her eyes connected with his crotch. She looked up and noticed he was wearing her scarf. Her hand knitted maroon wool scarf was wrapped around that deliciously muscular neck of his.

_Holy Shit._

Then he smiled. He actually smiled. Rey wondered if she was dreaming. 

“I just wanted to say thank you for the gift,” he said gently, touching one end of the scarf with his long fingers. How many times had she day dreamed about those fingers touching her?

“You’re welcome,” she managed to stammer in response. 

“I thought perhaps I could take you out to lunch today, to say thank you?” 

_Oh god. Oh god. Oh god._

“Yes, that would be lovely.” 

Another smile. She worried her head was going to burst. 

“Excellent, I’ll collect you at twelve.” 

Then he was gone and Rey was left to learn how to breathe once more. 

Rose and Finn crowded around her. 

“He’s in love with you,” Rose whispered. 

Rey rolled her eyes. “Maybe he just had a cold neck?” 

Finn shook his head. “Rey, he makes more money in a month than I do in a year. If he wanted a scarf he would buy one. He is wearing that scarf because you made it. I think he likes you.” 

There was a loud tut from Bazine’s desk as she inspected her long polished talons. “I wouldn’t bet on it,” she scoffed. 

Rey glared at the icy beauty. “I don’t believe you were involved in this conversation.” 

“I’m just going to offer you a little advice before you go in there and make a fool of yourself, I’m betting he is wearing that gift out of pity, sweetie.”

Rose put her hands on her hips. “What the hell do you mean Baz?”

“There’s only one reason I’ve even known Mr Ben Solo to take anyone to lunch, and that’s to let them go.” 

“Shut it Baz!” Finn warned her. 

Bazine put her hands up in mock surrender. “I’m just saying, it’s the perfect way to do it. Public place, less chance of a scene, away from the office…”

Rey went white. _Oh god._ That couldn’t be the reason...could it? 

Bazine smiled sweetly and returned to her work. 

Rose scowled at her before turning back to Rey. “Don’t listen to her, honey. She’s probably just jealous.” 

“Yeah, she’s probably just mad she never got her claws into his multi-million dollar ass,” Finn quipped. 

Rey smiled at her friends but felt sick on the inside. She really needed her job. They all returned to work but Rey could barely do anything but count down the hours. After what seemed like an eternity, twelve o’ clock arrived and Ben appeared by her desk. She noted he was wearing the scarf once more. 

“Shall we?” he said in a voice as smooth as silk. Rey nodded and grabbed her coat, following him to the elevator. Finn and Rose mouthed good luck at her as she disappeared behind the metal doors. 

Rey had never spent any real time alone with Ben before and even just standing next to him in the elevator seemed strangely intimate. He smelt incredible. She leaned toward him slightly and his head turned towards her sharply. 

_Shit._

She pulled away again. She put a mark on the mental blackboard next to ‘getting canned.’ The other column read ‘on a date.’ 

When they exited the elevator, Ben explained that the restaurant wasn’t far so they walked the blustery leaf filled London streets for a few blocks. When they arrived, Ben gave his name to the hostess and when they were shown to their table, he helped her into her seat. Rey put a mark in the ‘on a date’ column. 

Ben ordered two martini’s and Rey didn’t know which category that mark should go in. Perhaps it was date behaviour or maybe a way to drown her sorrows? She decided it would remain uncategorised. 

They perused the menu in silence. Rey was spoilt for choice but when she saw the prices her eyes must have widened as she heard Ben chuckle and remind her he was paying. Date? Or company policy for terminations? Rey was so confused… 

In the end Rey didn’t even know what she ordered, she picked at her food wondering when he would end her misery. She was last in so if cuts were to be made it stood to reason that they would start with her. But she was good at her job! She wanted to shout that it wasn’t fair! 

“Rey, is everything alright?” Ben asked softly with a look of concern on his face. 

It was the look that broke her. All the hours of worrying came together all at once and she blew. “If you’re going to fire me just do it!” She cried, drawing the attention of more than one surprised diner. 

“What are you talking about?” Ben asked.

“Bazine said the only reason you take anyone out to dinner is when you’re going to let them go. She said you were wearing my scarf out of pity.” 

“Bazine,” Ben growled, shaking his head. “I don’t usually share my personal life with employees but Bazine and I were involved very briefly a few years back before she came to work for us. She doesn’t seem to have moved on as easily as I hoped.” 

Rey blushed from her toes to her crown. “Oh,” she said softly. “So I’m really just here because…” 

“Because I wanted to thank you for the gift, yes.”

“Shit. I’m sorry. It’s just that, well you barely speak to any of us and then everyone told me that you gave their gifts away.” 

Ben ran a hand through his hair. “You’re right. That looked ungrateful. It’s just I don’t need expensive things. I have expensive things. I can buy whatever I want so I do tend to give gifts away to others who I think will appreciate them more. Your gift, I could tell, was from the heart and that’s why it means more to me and then there’s also the fact that…” 

“What?” Rey asked leaning forward in her chair. At first he looked at if he wasn’t going to continue...but then his expression softened and he leaned in. 

“The fact that it came from you.” 

**********


	2. Chapter 2

Rey blinked. Had he really said that? Had she imagined it? 

“Why...why is that important?” she asked softly.

“Rey, you must have noticed the way I can barely look at you at work? It’s because of how I feel about you. I like you. More than an employer should like an employee.” 

Rey’s heart thumped in her chest. “So nothing can happen between us because I work for you?” 

“I don’t date employees. It can make things very awkward. Wait...are you saying that you like me too?” 

Rey blushed. “Yes.” 

“I never thought you would feel the same,” he said with a look of wonder on his face. 

“I never thought you would feel the same,” she said with a small laugh. 

They looked at one another. 

“I can’t do this,” he said with a disappointed tone in his voice. 

“It would be wrong...if anyone found out,” Rey said quietly. 

Ben’s eyes snapped up to hers. “It would be very wrong if anyone found out.” 

“So it’s a good thing we aren’t going to do anything that anyone could find out about,” Rey replied as she mentally filled the “date” category in her mind with marks. 

“Exactly,” Ben replied with a small smile. 

It was sort of exciting. All the secret meanings to their conversation. “You know I could knit you some mittens to go with the scarf?” she offered. 

Ben snorted. “I think that’s taking things a bit far.” 

“I think you’d look cute!” Rey pressed. 

“I have a reputation to uphold, Rey. I’m sure you’ve heard about what an awful boss I am. I can’t be seen wandering around in mittens.” 

Rey laughed.

“I love your laugh.” 

Her heart contracted. _Shit_. Did it suddenly get hotter? 

“Maybe we should get back,” she said gently. 

Ben nodded and gestured for the bill. Once they had paid they headed out into the streets and walked back to the office. Rey returned to her desk and Ben went into his office. Rose and Finn jumped on her. 

“So? What happened?” Rose asked excitedly. 

“He just wanted to thank me for the scarf,” Rey said loudly, knowing Bazine was listening. 

“I knew it would all be okay,” Finn said with a smile. 

“You were right, I was worried about nothing,” Rey replied.

Rey didn’t see Ben again for the rest of the day and she began to wonder if she had just imagined their conversation. Lunch had put her behind on her work and she ended up staying a little late to catch up. At least that’s why she told herself she was staying late. She sat at her desk typing until she was the only one left in the office. Well, the only one left but one. 

“Rey,” Ben said with surprise as he finally reappeared.

“Hi,” she said cheerfully. 

He came over to her desk. “Working late? That’s commendable.”

“Not really, I’m a little behind.” 

“Is that because of our lunch? You were just following orders. Don’t feel you have to work late to catch up. It can keep until tomorrow.” 

Rey nodded and smiled, trying to hide her disappointment. What had she wanted him to do? Kiss her? Declare his undying love? She must have just imagined the undertones of their earlier talk. He really wasn’t going to take things further with her. 

“Why don’t you walk to the elevator with me?” he offered.

Rey grabbed her coat and followed him to the lift. They waited for it to arrive in silence. Once inside, Ben pressed the button for the ground floor and Rey opened her mouth to remark on the cold weather, his lips were on hers before she could utter a syllable. He pushed her up against the wall, and she could have sworn he had more than two hands the way he covered every inch of her body in a matter of minutes. 

She felt like bursting. She had been right! He did want her! She curled her hands into his hair. So soft. Just as she had imagined it. His kiss was almost bruising. She felt an ache form at the pit of her stomach at his touch. She wanted more. She wanted it all. 

All too soon he pulled away and straightened himself up. The lift reached the ground floor and they got out as if they hadn’t just been making up like a couple of horny teenagers. Was that it? Was he going to get her all hot and bothered and then leave her hanging? 

“Goodnight, Rey,” he said as he nodded to the doorman and headed for his car. 

The absolute nerve of the man! Not even the offer of a ride home? Rey folded her arms over her chest. She headed home and did the only thing that could help her calm down when she was seething with anger. She started to knit. She knitted into the wee small hours until she finally started to feel tired enough to be able to sleep. 

“That bastard,” she mumbled to herself as she got into bed. “I’ll show him.”

The next day, Rey took extra care and attention on her appearance. Even Finn made a whistling sound as she walked into the office in her high heels and short skirt. 

Rose lifted an eyebrow suspiciously. “And who is this little display for?” she asked.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Rey answered dismissively. Rose looked unconvinced. 

Thirty minutes later, Ben Solo walked through the office and did a double take when he saw Rey. He started to choke on his coffee and Rey smiled on the inside at her small victory. 

Another thirty minutes later, Ben popped his head out of his office. “Errhh...Rey? Could I see you for a minute?” 

Rey smiled at him. “Of course, Sir”, she stood up and collected a bag from under her desk carrying it into the office with her. She sat down in the chair in front of Ben’s desk and placed the bag on the floor. “What did you need to see me about, Sir?” 

“Look Rey, about last night...”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sir.”

“Yes, you do.” 

“No. I don’t. Why don’t you tell me what happened?” 

“I kissed you, I kissed you in the elevator.”

Rey tapped her lips with her finger. “I don’t remember that...I do remember you dismissing me quite cruelly. Perhaps that memory has entirely erased the earlier one?” 

Ben sighed. “I know, Rey. I want to apologise.” 

“Oh you do? I know the perfect way you can make it up to me,” she said with a sweet smile. Rey reached under his desk and pulled out the bag. She placed it on the desk in front of Ben and sat back down in her seat. Ben opened the bag and looked inside. Then he looked back at Rey.

“You can’t be serious,” he said. 

“Oh, I’m deadly serious. If you really want to show that you’re truly sorry and that I mean more to you than a quick grope in an elevator…”

“You do, I swear Rey…” 

“If that’s the truth then you’ll do this for me.” Rey stood up and left the room. 

“What did he want?” Finn whispered as she sat down at her desk. 

Rey shrugged. “Oh he just wanted to check that I was on top of the financial reports.” 

“Geez, he’s really riding you isn’t he?” 

“I wish,” Rey muttered.

“What?” Finn asked. 

“I said you know it!” 

Rose didn’t say anything but Rey could tell from the look on her face that her clever friend was already formulating a theory. 

Rey didn’t see Ben again for the rest of the day. She waited nervously for him to leave. The time he chose to exit the office was crucial. If he left after everyone had already departed, it wouldn’t count. If he wanted to prove that he really cared about her, he had to leave at exactly the right time. 

At four thirty, people started checking their watches and Rey had almost given up hope. She walked to the water cooler and as she returned with her drink she found Finn and Rose laughing so hard they could barely breathe. 

Rey’s heart hitched in her chest. Could it be? Could he have…

“Rey! You missed it!” Finn cried. 

“I missed what?” Rey asked. 

“You missed Mr Solo leaving!” Rose giggled.

“That doesn’t sound like a very funny story,” Rey said as she sipped her water. 

“It was what he was wearing!” Finn shrieked. 

Rey feigned innocence. “What was he wearing?” 

Rose wiped her eyes. “We didn’t noticed them at first, we were too busy pretending to work but then he pointedly called out goodbye and waved to us all and we realised he was wearing a pair of multi coloured mittens!” 

Rey smiled into her cup. “Surely not!” 

Rose’s eyes widened. “He really was Rey! I couldn’t believe it! The moment he got into the lift we all burst out laughing!” 

“How long ago did he leave?” Rey asked.

“Like a minute ago, you just missed him!” 

Rey put down her cup and grabbed her coat. “I just realised I have to go,” she said with a grin.

“What? I thought we were going for drinks?” Finn called after her. 

“Tomorrow I promise!” she cried out as she got into the second elevator. Rey tapped her foot impatiently as she waited to reach the ground floor hoping to catch Ben. Finally she heard the ping and practically fell out of the doors. Her eyes darted around the lobby then she spotted him trying to leave but his hand kept slipping off the door handle because of the mittens. Rey giggled and ran over to him. 

“You wore them,” she said with a smile. 

“Of course I did,” Ben said in a low voice. “I told you, you mean more to me than a quick grope. Is it as bad as I think it is back there?” 

Rey nodded. “They’re all falling about laughing.” 

Ben tried to pinch the bridge of his nose but couldn’t because of the mittens. He groaned with frustration. Rey laughed and then his mouth quirked up and suddenly he was laughing along with her.

Then Rey stopped laughing and smiled up at him. “If we’re going to do this, Ben. I want to do it right. I’m not one for sneaking around and I don’t want to be hiding in corners with you. That’s just not me.” 

“What are you saying?” he asked. 

Rey gabbed the lapels of his coat and pulled him towards her. 

“I’m saying I quit,” she told him as she pressed her lips roughly to his. 

**********

_ Six months later…  _

Rey wrapped up the hand knitted scarf and gloves in tissue paper and placed it in a paper bag. She handed it over the mahogany counter to her customer.

“Thank you for visiting knits and bits, we hope you have a lovely day!” 

The woman smiled as she left the store. Rey dipped down under the register. “Rose? Where’s the other till roll?” 

“Um, I’ll have a look back here!” Rose called out from the rear of the store. 

The little bell above the door tingled to indicate someone had entered. Rey jumped back up and smiled at Ben as he came towards her. 

“How’s it going?” he asked as he kissed her. 

“Brilliant! We’ve only been in business for one month and I’ve already sold out of almost everything! It’s a good job we outsource most of the stock now or I’d never be able to keep up with demand!” 

“Good job you have an amazing business partner with excellent connections.” 

Rey grinned and kissed him. “Thank you.” 

“You are more than welcome.” 

Rose appeared with the spare till roll. “Hey! no fraternising in front of the employees,” she complained. 

Rey laughed. “Fine we’ll go to lunch and fraternise there. Can you handle things here?” 

“Yeah, yeah get out of here,” Rose said with a wave as she dealt with the register. 

Ben and Rey walked hand in hand out of the store. 

“I can’t believe I own my own store and it’s all down to you,” Rey said with a smile. 

Ben kissed her hand. “I’m just the cash cow, sweetheart. You’re the brains behind this enterprise.” 

“That day when I kissed you, I never in a million years thought I would be owning my own business a few months later.” 

“That day when you kissed me, I wasn’t thinking about much at all other than how amazing it felt.” 

Rey squeezed his hand with hers. “Best decision I ever made.” 

“So, where do you want to go to eat?” 

“I don’t mind. I’m really just here for the fraternising.”

Ben laughed. “Me too. Well, our place isn’t far and we have food there?” 

“I like your thinking. I can’t be too long though, I only get an hour for lunch.” 

“I’m pretty sure your boss wouldn’t mind if you took a little longer,” he said with a grin.

“Yes, but Rose would.” 

“Not when I hand her a hundred dollar bill on our return.” 

Rey shook her head. “You are terrible with money. I don’t know why they let you run a multi-million dollar corporation.” 

“That makes two of us.” 

“I have a present for you,” Rey said, digging into her handbag. She pulled out a woolly hat with a Pom Pom on top. 

“What did I do this time?” Ben asked. 

“Rey giggled. “This is for me,” she said, putting it on. 

“Adorable,” Ben said, kissing her nose. 

“On me but not on you?” 

“Exactly.” 

Rey laughed and continued searching in her bag. “Here is your present.” She handed him a small box. Ben opened it and looked at Rey questioningly.

“Rey, this is an engagement ring.” 

“It sure is.” 

“How is this a gift for me?” 

“Well it’s really a gift for you to give to me. It was my mother’s,” she reached up and kissed him. “Is that okay?”

Ben smiled and slipped the ring onto her finger. “It’s better than alright, it’s perfect.” 

Rey beamed. “I’m so glad I didn’t listen when they told me you were an old grump.” 

“I am an old grump,” Ben said as they reached their apartment. 

“No you’re not,” Rey said with a kiss as she unlocked the door. She wrapped her arms around him as soon as they were safely inside. “You’re my very sexy, very young, not even a little bit grumpy fiance.” 

Ben grinned. “We have about half an hour of your lunch left.” 

“We better use it wisely then.” 

Ben pulled off Rey’s bobble hat and she unwound his scarf, they threw them onto the floor together and shed the rest of their clothing. 

Rey giggled as they slid under the bed covers. “I was just remembering when you were trying to open that door with those mittens on.” 

Ben chuckled. “I deserved it for the way I treated you.” 

“You can spend the rest of your life making it up to me.” 

“I plan to,” Ben murmured as he kissed her once more. 

“Try not to mess up again, or it’s the bobble hat for you.” 

Ben groaned. “I’ll behave I promise.” 

Rey giggled. “If you don’t I can knit you some socks, a hideous jumper, maybe even some woolly underwear!” 

Ben kissed her into submission. “The only knitting I’m interested in right now is knitting our bodies together.” 

Rey winced. “Bad joke, Solo.” 

“I’m sorry, ‘wool’ you ever forgive me?” 

“Kiss me and I’ll think about it.” 

“An easy trade,” Ben murmured as he leaned in to kiss her once more. 

**********


End file.
